Holy joy ride: Fort Worth girl, 12, crashes car into church

The joy that came from this ride was probably short-lived.

A 12-year-old girl is likely in a heap of trouble after police say she took her father’s Chevrolet SUV on a joy ride with three younger siblings Thursday night, then crashed into a Fort Worth church.

No one was injured, police say.

Cpl. Tracey Knight, a police spokeswoman, said the children’s father had left in another vehicle to go to the store.

“The daughter decided to take a road trip around the block,” Knight said.

The girl took along her three siblings — a 7-year-old brother, a 7-year-old sister and a 1-year-old brother.

She was driving the Chevy south in the 3800 block of St. Louis Avenue about 9:45 p.m. when she failed to negotiate a turn east onto West Pafford Street and struck the Iglesia Bautista Calvario at 3839 St. Louis Ave.

Police will not seek criminal charges against the girl, Knight said.

“There were no injuries — thank God — and minimal damage to the building, so her penance from the church and the wrath of her dad were punishment enough,” Knight said.

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 9:47 AM with the headline "Holy joy ride: Fort Worth girl, 12, crashes car into church."